Contour scriber



y 14, 1957 c. DENSLINGER 2,791,837

CONTOUR SCRIBER Filed Jan. 18, 1955 FIG. 3. FIG. 4.

INVENTOR. CHARLES DENSLINGER EMW/JJMQ,

United States Patent CONTOUR SCRIBER Charles Denslinger, Springfield, N. J. Application January 18, 1955, Serial No. 482,459

5 Claims. (CI. 33-41) This invention relates to contour scribers and more particularly to devices of this character for reproducing contours in fitting floor or wall coverings and the like.

In the laying of linoleum tiles it is customary to start at the center and work towards the walls. After the last row of full width tile is laid, those for the next row are placed over the last, and a loose tile is placed against the wall so that its outer edge guides a pencil to mark the tile thereunder, so that the excess can be cut off. This expedient is clumsy in handling and difficult or inoperative for curved contours. With one hand holding the gauge tile and the other holding the scribing pencil, the loose tile being marked is very apt to slip. Also, the gauge tile must be moved and replaced for'each loose tile marked. The results are so inaccurate that the conventional molding is lifted and replaced to cover the rough edges.

It has been proposed to use draftsmens beam compasses for this purpose, but the center point thereof is spaced inward from the end, so that the end butts against the wall and prevents the center point from reaching the corner with the floor. Furthermore, beam compasses are light weight precision instruments, requiring the use of both hands for accurate work, and cannot withstand the rough usage characteristic of floor work, both as to breakage and slippage of adjustment.

The main objects of the present invention are therefore to avoid the difficulties referred to above, and to provide a contour marking scriber which is handy and convenient in operation, rugged in construction to withstand rough usage, which has a follower point capable of entering corners and following curved contours, such as cutting around pipes, which can be manipulated with one hand, which can be readily held perpendicular to the contour for movement parallel thereto, and is otherwise Well adapted for the purposes set forth.

According to the present invention the contour marking scriber has a contour follower tool at one end and a contour reproducing tool at the other end. The construction comprises a main body plate and an end plate longitudinally adjustable with respect thereto, both being substantially flat and of substantially the same width, and each preferably having a longitudinal slot intermediate its ends. The slot of the end plate is adapted to register with a portion of the slot of the main plate when arranged in contacting side by side relation. Preferably the slot of the end plate terminates in a lug which rides in the slot of the main plate. Clamping means passing through the registering portions of the slots secures the plates in longitudinally adjusted relation. The outer ends of the plates beyond the slots carry the respective points; The outer end of at least one of the plates has an outer portion extending outwardly beyond its slot and downwardly below the lower edge of the main plate to constitute or carry one of the tools. Preferably the outer portion has an edge at an obtuse angle to the slot, and a carrier clamp for one of the points has spaced lugs engaging said edge, and the clamp 2,791,837 Patented May 14, 1957 and plate have registering apertures whereby the point may be secured to the plate in predetermined angular position by a single screw.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a contour marking scriber according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal horizontal section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken along the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the pencil clip;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the follower clip;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a modified plate in which the main body and one end are integral; and

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of an end plate shown in Fig. 1, but which may be used with the modified plate shown in Fig. 7.

In the form shown in the drawing a substantially flat main plate 10 is constructed preferably of heavy sheet metal of substantially uniform width and thickness is provided intermediate its ends with a longitudinal slot 12. A substantially flat end plate 14 of the same material is provided with a longitudinal slot 15, preferably shorter than the slot 12, and terminating in a lateral lug 16 struck up from the plate material for a length substantially equal to the thickness of the plate, so as to fit in the slot 12 when the plates are arranged in contacting side by side relation as shown.

The plates are held together by clamping means such as a bolt 18 passing through registering portions of the slots 12 and 15, and secured in longitudinally adjusted position by a nut 20. The bolt is preferably squared under its head to engage the adjacent slot, to prevent turning when the nut is tightened.

The outer end of the plate 14 has a portion 21 of generally triangular shape extending outwardly beyond its slot and terminating in a straight edge 22 disposed at an obtuse angle to the slot 15 and the registering slot 12. The portion 21 extends downwardly below the lower edge of the plate to constitute or carry one of the tools. In the form shown, this portion terminates in a point 23 which may function as either a follower or a marker. The portion 21 is also provided with a notch 24 inside the point 23, to receive the upper corner of a board or the like, in which event the tool at the opposite end of the scriber serves as a marker. The portion 21 is also provided with an aperture 25 for a purpose hereinafter described.

In the form shown in Fig. 1, the main plate 10 has rounded ends 26, with the plate 14 secured at one end, and an end plate 28 secured to the other end in the same manner. Inasmuch as the plate 28 is identical with that shown in Fig. 8, its details have the same reference characters.

In the form shown in Fig. 7, the plate 29 constitutes main plate 10 formed integral with the end plate 28, the details being otherwise identical have the same reference characters.

When it is desired to employ a pencil as the reproducing point, in order to have the mark a contrasting color to the work, a clip 30 is provided as shown in Fig. 5, comprising a cylindrical body 31 with flanges 32 having spaced lateral lugs 33 adapted to engage the obtuse angled straight edge 22 of plate 14, 28 or 29. The flanges 32 have apertures 35 adapted to register with the aperture 25 of plate 14, 28 or 29 to clamp a pencil in position at a predetermined angle to the slots, by means of a single screw 36.

When it is desired to employ a replaceable follower point, a clip 40 is provided as shown in Fig. 6. This clip has a trough portion 41 with spring tongues 42 struck up therefrom to frictionally hold a replaceable follower point in the trough. The trough portion has a flange 43 with spaced lugs 44adapted to engage the straight edge 22, and an aperture 45 adapted to register with the aperture 25, so that the clip 40 may be similarly locked at a predetermined angle by a single screw 36.

To set up the scriber for a job, the nut 20 is loosened and the plate 14 is moved to slide the lug 16 along the slot 12 to adjust the distance between the points 23 to the width of the particular tile being laid, after which the nut is tightened to lock the parts in adjusted position. When the clips 30 and 40 are employed, the tile width will be the distance between the pencil point and the replaceable follower point.

In operation, the row of tile being laid is placed over the last, and the scriber is held with the follower against the bottom of "the wall, and moved parallel thereto to cause the contour reproducing tool to mark the desired contour on the tile. When the excess is cut off, the remainder will fit exactly against the wall.

It should be noted that the device is of sturdy construction, and will not be harmedif accidentally stepped upon. Also the shape of the main body fits comfortably in the hand, and the depending points leave space to clear the fingers of the operator. Furthermore, the shape of the main body causes the device to fall naturally into position normal to the wall, for conventient movement parallel thereto.

I claim:

1. Contour scriber having a contour follower point at one end and a contour reproducing point at the other end, comprising a substantially fiat sheet metal main body portion of substantially uniform width and thickness having a longitudinal slot intermediate its ends, and substantially flat sheet metal end portions at least one of which is longitudinally adjustable with respect to said body portion, said longitudinally adjustable sheet metal end portion having a longitudinal slot intermediate its ends shorter than said mainbody portion slot, the inner end of said shorter slot terminating in a lateral lug struck up from the sheet metal of said end plate and adapted to enter and slide along said main body plate when arranged in contacting side-by-side relation, and means passing through said shorter slot and a registering portion of said main slot for clamping said portions in longitudinally adjusted position, said end portions extending outwardly beyond said main portion and downwardlyat an obtuse angle to and below the lower edge of said body portion in a generally triangular shape to permit said follower point to enter and follow the corner between a wall and the floor.

2. Contour scriber having a contour follower point at one end and a contour reproducing point at the other end and comprising a substantially flat sheet metal main body plate of substantially uniform width and thickness having a longitudinal slot intermediate its ends, and a substantially fiat sheet metal end plate having a longitudinal slot intermediate its ends shorter than said main body plate slot, the inner end of said shorter slot terminating in a lateral lug struck up from the sheet metal of said end plate and adapted to enter and slide along said main body plate slot when arranged in contacting side by side relation, and clamping means passing through said shorter slot and a registering portion of said main slot to secure said end plate to said main plate in longitudinally adjustable relation, the outer ends of said plates beyond their registering slots extending downwardly at an obtuse angle to said registering slots and below the lower edge of said body plate in a generally triangular shape and respectively carrying said points.

3. Contour scriber having a contour follower point at one end and a contour reproducing point at the other end and comprising a substantially flat sheet metal main body plate of substantially uniform width and thickness having a longitudinal slot intermediate its ends, and substantially flat sheet metal end plates of substantially the same width and having longitudinal slots intermediate their ends shorter than said main body plate slot, the inner ends of said shorter slots terminating in lateral lugs struck up from the sheet metal of its plate and adapted to enter and slide along said main body plate slot when arranged in contacting side by side relation, and clamping means passing through said shorter slots and registering portions of said main slot to secure said end plates to said main plate in longitudinally adjustable relation, the outer ends of said end plates beyond their registering slots in a generally triangular shape extending downwardly at an obtuse angle to said registering slots and below the lower edge of said body portion and respectively carrying said points.

4. Contour scriber having a contour follower point at one end and a contour reproducing point at the other end and comprising a substantially flat sheet metal main body plate of substantially uniform width and thickness having a longitudinal slot intermediate its ends, and a substantially fiat sheet metal end plate of substantially the same width and having a longitudinal slot intermediate its ends shorter than said main body plate slot, said plates being adapted to be arranged in contacting side by side relation, said end plate having at the inner end of said shorter slot a lateral lug struck up from the plate material adapted to enter and slide along said main body plate slot when arranged in contacting side-by-side relation and clamping means passing through said shorter slot and a registering portion of said main slot to secure said end plate to said main plate in longitudinally adjustable relation, the outer end of one of said plates having an outer portion extending outwardly beyond its slot and downwardly below the lower edge of said main plate in a generally triangular shape and carrying one of said points.

5. Contour scriber having a contour follower point at one end and a contour reproducing point at the other end and comprising a substantially fiat sheet metal main body plate of substantially uniform width and thickness having a longitudinal slot intermediate its ends, and a substantially fiat sheet metal end plate of substantially the same width and having a slot intermediate its ends shorter than said main body plate slot, the inner end of said shorter slot terminating in a lateral lug struck up from the material of its plate adapted to enter and slide along said main body plate slot when arranged in contacting side by side relation, and clamping means passing through registering portions of said slots to secure said end plate to said main plate in longitudinally adjustable relation, the outer end of one of said plates being of generally triangular shape and having an edge beyond its slot extending outwardly and downwardly at an obtuse angle to said slot, and a carrier clamp for one of said points having spaced lugs engaging said edge, said clamp and plate having registering apertures and screw means passing through said apertures whereby said point may be secured to said plate in predetermined angular position, said clamp being otfset laterally to clear the other plate when the clamp carrying plate is moved inwardly to decrease the distance between the points.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 280,831 Johnson July 10, 1883 793,272 Borate June 27, 1905 999,104 Erickson July 25, 1911 1,392,825 Gonzalez Oct. 4, 1921 1,644,636 Cross Oct. 4, 1927 437,250 Schollhorn Sept. 30, 1930 2,287,601 Callaghan June 23, 1942 2,333,307 Galea Nov. 2, 1943 2,389,316 Kirby Nov. 20, 1945 2,579,121 Nauheim Dec. 18, 1951 2,588,757 Peeples Mar. 11, 1952 

